Leaf-turner



,No. 62!,769. Patented Mar. '2], 1899.

J. E. FELLOW. LEAF TURNER.

(Application filed Kay 1, 1897.) 000 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 62l,769. Patented Mar. 2|, I899.

J. E. PELLOW.

LEAF TURNER.

I (Application filed May 1, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. PELLOW, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

LEAF-TU RN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,769, dated March 21, 1899.

Application filed May 1, 1897. Serial No. 634,729. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. PEL ow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Leaf lurner, of which the followingis a specifioation.

My invention relates to improvements in leaf-turners, and is more especially designed for the turning of music-leaves, my object being to provide a mechanism of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable, and efficient in use; and to these ends the invention consists of the features, arrangements, and combinations hereinafter described and claimed,

all of which will be fully'understood by referonce to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary top view of the device, the top plate of the box or case inclosing the operating parts being removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the top plate and the horizontal partition separating the segmental gears both being removed. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the broken line w 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front view of the complete device shown on a smaller scale. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the leaf-holder shown in detail. Fig. 6 is a top view showing one of the clasps carried by the leaf-turning rod, the said clasp being shown on a larger scale. Fig. 7 is a top view of the segmental gears, illustrating the relative positions of the dogs when both cogged racks are released. Fig. 8 is an un derneath view in detail of the upper segmental gear, illustrating the dogcontrolling spring. Fig. 9 is aperspective view in detail of the cogged rack. Fig. 10 is a perspective View illustrating two levers which normally hold the spring-pressed cogged racks from movement. Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the key-lever, adapted when pressed to actuate the levers shown in Fig. 10, whereby the racks are released and allowed to move responsive to their actuating-springs. Fig. 12 is a sectionsl view illustrating the pinions for actuating the leaf-turning arms. Fig. 13 is an underneath view showing the lever for actuating the segmental gears. Fig. 14 is an end elevation showing the general framework.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in the drawings, let the numeral 5 designate the box or case inclosing the mechanism for actuating the horizontal extensible arms 6, carrying the upright rods 7, provided with the leaf-clasps 8. The arm 6 is composed of two parts 6 and 6, each provided with a small clasp 6, through which the other part passes. Each of these clasps 6 consists of integral wings or flanges formed on one part and bent around the other part of the arm, whereby the length of the arm as a whole may be regulated at pleasure to correspond with the length or width of the leaves to be turned.

The casing 5 is provided with a back plate 5, having extensions 5 which are bent inwardly at right angles, forming ofisets 5 from which project upright arms 5 forming a book-holder. The book rests on the oifsets 5 and is held open by the arms 5 the leaves in use being outside or forward of the said arms. The horizontal bottom plate 5 of the casing is provided with fastening-hooks 5', which are formed by bending forward extensions down ward and backward underneath the plate. These books 5 are provided with set-screws 9, which engage threaded apertures in the hooks and are adapted to fasten the device to the piano or toa music rack or stand, as the case may be. The engaging or inner extremities of the set-screws should be provided with some yielding material, as rubber, to prevent marring the engaged part.

The back plate 5 is provided on its rear surface with a socket 5 adapted to engage the depending portion of a T-shaped part 10, to which are attached two upright jaws 12 and 12 The jaw 12 is riveted to or formed integral with the top of the T-shaped piece 10 and is stationary thereon. The jaw 12 is inovably attached to the part 10 by a rivet or pin which passes through a transverse slot 12, formed in the lower part of the arm.

Each jaw consists of an angle-plate whose A part 12 tapers from its lower extremity toward the top, which is narrowest. The other flanges 12 of these jaws extend forwardly, and the opening between them is controlled by a vertically-sliding clasp 13 engaging the tapering flanges. When this clasp is moved upwardly, the jaws open automatically by virtue of two springs at, each having a central coil, their extremities being attached to the respective jaws on the rear side. (See Fig. 5.) The function of these jaws is to hold sheets of music not bound in book form. \Vhen my improved leaf-turner is in use, one edge of all the loose leaves of the piece of music is held by the jaws 12 12, while the opposite edge of each separate sheet is held by the clasps 8 of rods 7. Hence there is only one pair of jaws 12 12, while there must be as many arms 6 and rods 7 as' there are sheets of music to be turned. When the sheets are bound in book form, the jaws 12 12 are of course not needed.

Each extensible arm 6 has a square aperture in its inner extremity which fits the upper extremity of a pinion spindle or shoulder. (See Fig. 12.) \Vhen these pinions are actuated, the arms 6 are operated and the leaves turned. The mechanism for operating these pinions will now be described. The lower pinion 14 (see Fig. 12) is provided with a solid spindle 15, which passes through the upper pinion 16 and its square shoulder 16 and protrudes above far enough to permit the attachment of the arm 6 to its square extremity 15. The other arm 6 is attached to the square shoulder of the upper pinion 16. The two pinions are separated by a horizontal partition 17. The lower extremity of the spindle 15 is journaled in the bottom plate of the casing 5. Below the square extremity 16 of the shoulder of the pinion 16 there is formed a cylindrical journal which engages a circular aperture in the top plate of. the casing. The two pinions are allowed to move freely and independently of each other. Each pinion is engaged by a cogged rack 18, one extremity of which is engaged by a coil-spring 19. The two racks 18 and their actuatingsprings 19 are located in separate compartments formed in the casing above and below the partition 17. (See Fig. The racks 18 are normally held in a position to compress their respective springs by levers 20 and 20, both fulcrumed on a post 21 made fast to the bottom plate of the casing. Each lever is provided with a lug 20, located near its outer extremity or to the right of the fulcrum, (see Figs; 1, 2, and 3,) which ing is engaged by one extremity of a spring 22, coiled around the fulcrum-pin 21. The opposite extremity of this spring bears against one side of the casing 5. The spring holds the opposite extremity of the lever against the rear side of the case 5 and also in engagement with the adjacent end of the rack 18 or the end remote from the spring 19. These levers are actuated sufficiently to unlock the racks by means of a key-lever 23, fulcrumed within the casing and protruding therefrom. This key-lever is of the bell-crank order and its arm within the casing is the shorter and provided with a lug 23, adapted to engage one arm of the lever 20 and thrust it toward the rear, thus throwing the opposite arm forwardly sufliciently to disengage it from the adjacent extremity of the rack 18, which is grooved (see Fig. 9) to allow the rack to slip over the adjacent arm of the lever as soon as the lever is disengaged from the narrow solid portion located to the rear of the groove. The looking position of the levers 2O 20 is shown in Fig. 1 and the unlocked position in Fig. 2.

As soon as the rack 18 is released, as just explained, its spring 19 moves it forward toward the right until it occupies the position shown in Fig. 2. During this movement of the lower rack the pinion 14 is turned sufficiently to give the arm 6 and the rod '7 a halfrevolution, thus turning the leaf from the right toward the left. The position of the parts 6 and 7 when the leaf is turned is shown in Fig. 4. The lever 20 is provided with a lip 20, which engages a depending flange 18 of the rack located in front of the groove and extending beyond the extremity of the body of the rack, as shown at 8. This flange limits the movement of the lever 20 until the rack has reached the position shown in Fig. 2, where the flange 18 is cut away to allow the lip extremity of the lever to pass out of the groove. This guard-flange 18 is necessary to prevent the lever 20 from moving far enough to actuate the lever 20 when the key-lever is first pressed, since the result of moving both levers 20 and 20 at once would be to turn two leaves at once, which, of course, is not desirable. After the upper leaf has been turned by the movement of the lower rack, as heretofore explained, the lever 20 is in position (see Fig. 2) to move freely as the key-lever 23 is again pressed. The lug 20 of the lever 20 is long enough to engage and actuate the lever 20 when the key-lever is again pressed. It is evident that the levers 2O 20 must be relatively so arranged that the lever 20 is not actuated by the original movement of the key-lever and the lever 20. The second movement of the key-lever, however, will move the lever 20 far' enough to actuate the lever 20, when the up per rack will be released and move toward the right in response to the recoil of its spring 19. During this action of the upper rack the hollow pinion 16 is actuated and the upper arm 6 and its corresponding rod '7 are moved sufficiently to turn another leaf.

Afteraleaf has been turned it is often necessary to turn it back to its original position before turning the next leaf in order to give the performer access again to the first page of the leaf. The mechanism for accomplishing this result will now be described.

Journaled on a spindle 24, made fast to the bottom plate of the case, are two segmental gears 25 and 25, which mesh, respectively, with the pinions 14 and 16, whose construction, relative location, and arrangement have been heretofore described. These segmental gears are provided with dogs 26 and 26, respectively. These dogs are set into horizontal recesses formed in the segmental gears and are normally held at their outward limit of movement by weak springs 27. The pin 28 ispassed through the'recessed portion of each segment to limit the outward movement of its dog, which, however, is allowed to move inwardly freely when pressure is properly applied. The ou-ter extremities of the dogs when in their normal position project beyond the peripheries of their respective segments. A lever 29, fulcrumed on the spindle 24, is located just above the top segment 25. This lever is provided with a depending projection or lug 29 of sufficient length to reach the dog 26 of the lower segment 25. Both dogs would normally lie in the path of the lug on the lever 29 when said lever is moved from right to left. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) When both racks 18 are locked by the levers 20, the segmental gears are both in the position of segmental gear as shown in Fig. 1. When the lower rack 18 is unlocked and the pinion 14 actuated to throw the leaf-turning arm 6 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the sogmental gear 25 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2; In this case the dog 26 of the segment 25 is brought quite close to the lug 29 of the le ver 29, which is normally held in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 by a suitable spring 30.. Now when the first leaf has been turned, as indicated by the position of the parts in Figs. 2 and 4, I will assume that it becomes necessary to turn the leaf back to its original position, or from left to right, in order to bring the front page of the leaf into view. This is acccomplished by turning the lever '29 toward the left, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,)

whereby the lug 29 is caused to engage the dog 26, with the resultthat the segment 25 is turned from right to left or back to its original positionthat is to say, to the position of the segment 25 in Fig. 1. This movement of the segment 25 actuates the pinion 14 suflicieutly to return the arm 6 and the rod 7 to their original position. Hence the leaf is turned back and its front page exposed. This reverse movement of the pinion 14 also actuates the lower rack 18 and moves it toward the left against its spring 19 and to its original position. The lever 20 is then forced by its spring 22 to engagement with the right-hand extremity of the rack, which is again locked in'its original position. I As soon as the lever 29 is released it is returned by its spring to its normal position. After finishing the front page of the first sheet the key-lever 23 is again pressed and the lever whereby the latter is actuated sufficiently to release the upper rack 18, which is forced by its spring 19 to the positionof the rack shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the rack turns the second leaf through the instrumentality of the pinion 16, its arm 6, and the corresponding rod 7. During this operation of the said parts the segment-gear25 is thrown to the sameposition as the gear 25. The segment-gear 25 is provided on its under surface with a spring 35, which engages a pin .26 on the dog 26 and moves the said dog inwardly against its spring 27, throwing the said dog out of the path of the lug 29 of the lever 29. The dog 26 will be held in this position until the segment 25 is moved again toward the left, the leaf returned to its original position, and the rack set as shown in Fig. 1. The function of the spring is to throw the dog 26 which belongs to the mechanism for turning the first leaf into such a position that the second leaf can be turned back to its original position or from left to right without turning the first leaf back. This is done by moving the dog 26 out of the path of the reversing-lever and holding it in this position until the said lever has passed the dog 26, which then moves outwardly to its normal position. The inward position of the dog 26 is shown in Fig. 7.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of 'my improved music-leaf turner will be readily understood. If the sheets are loose, one vertical edge of all the leaves is placed between the jaws 12 12, the sliding clasp 13 being raised to allow the jaws to open sufficiently for the purpose. The clasp is then moved downwardly, causing the jaws to grasp the leaves tightly. The opposite vertical edge of each leaf is placed between a pair of clasps 8 on a rod 7, there being as many rods equipped with the said clasps 8 as there are leaves or sheetsof music. If the musicis in book formthat is to say, if the leaves are bound togethei' -the jaws 12 12 are removed from the socket 5 and the-book placed upon the ofisets 5 between the upright arms 5 and the back plate 5 of the cas-- iug 5. The leaves to be used or which contain the piece of music to be rendered should be placed in front of the right-hand arm 5 to allow them to be turned without obstruction. The-free vertical edges of the leaves to be used are placed between the springclasps 8 of the rod 7. Then when it becomes necessary to turn a leaf the key-lever 23 is pressed and the lever 20 actuated sufficiently to release its engaging rack, which moves toward the right, actuated by the spring 19. This movement of the rack rotates the pinion 14 and turns the leaf through the instrumentality of the arm 6 and the rod 7. The segment-gear 25 is then in the position shown in Fig. 2, and if it is desired to turn the leaf back or from left to right the lever 29 is turned toward the left, bringing its lug 29 in contact with the dog 26 of the segment, whereby the latter is turned to the position of the segment in Fig. 1 and the pinion actuated sufficiently to throw the leaf to its original position. This leaf must be again turned from right to left in the same manner as before explained, the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 2 before the second leaf can be turned, which is accomplished by again pressing the key-lever 28, whereby the locking-lever 20 is actuated sufliciently to bring its projection 20 in contact with the outer arm of the lever 20, which arm normally occupies a position farther to the rear than the corresponding extremity of the lever 20. (See Fig. 1.) As soon as the lever 20 engages the lever 2O the latter is moved sufficiently to release the rack 18, which moves toward the right, actuates the pinion 16, and turns the arm 6 and its rod 7, thus turning the second leaf or sheet from right to left. During this movement of theleaf-turning elements the segment-gear 25 is thrown to the position of the segment in Fig. 2, the spring 35 engaging the dog 26 of the segment 20 and moving the said dog to the position shown in Fig. 8 and out of the path of the dog 29 of the lever 29, so that the second leaf may be turned from left to right without actuating the mechanism for turning the first leaf. After the second leaf has been turned from left to right the lever 20 engages the right-hand extremity of its corresponding rack 18 and locks or sets the latter in the position shown in Fig. 1. As the segment 25 is turned from right to left its spring 35 releases the dog 26, which moves outwardly to its normal position. After the segment 25 is turned from right to left the lever 29 is released and returned by its spring 30 to its normal position. During this movement of the lever 29 its lug 29 engages the dog 26 of the gear 25 and forces it inwardly sufficiently to allow the lever 29 to pass to the right of the dog, when the latter is again moved outwardly by its spring 27 and into the path of the ing 29, when the lever 29 is again moved from right to left for the purpose of turning the first leaf from left to right and resetting the lower rack 18.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a suitable case, of a pinion journaled in the case, a leaf-turning arm attached to the pinion-spindle, a springactuated, cogged rack engaging said pinion, a spring-held lever engaging one end of the rack and holding it against its spring when under tension, and a releasing-lever engaging the opposite arm of the locking-lever and protruding from the case.

2. The combination with a suitable case, of a pinion j ournaled in said case, a leaf-turning arm attached to the pinion, a cogged rack engaging the pinion, a spring engaging one extremity of the rack, a locking-lever adapted to engage the opposite extremity of the rack, and a releasing-lever engaging the lockinglever.

33. The combination with a suitable case or frame, of a plurality of pinions suitably journaled therein one above another, and having a common center, a leaf-turning arm connected with each pinion, a spring-actuated rack engaging each pinion, one extremity of each rack being grooved and provided with a guard-flange in front of the groove and extending beyond the extremity of the body of the rack, and a locking-lever adapted to engage the grooved extremity of the rack, the said flange lim iting the movement of the lever when the rack is unlocked.

4. The combination with a suitable case or frame, of a plurality of pinions journaled in the case one above another and having a common center, suitable leaf-turning arms connected with the respective pinions, a springactuated rack engaging each pinion, a locking-lever engaging each rack, a single releasing-lever adapted to actuate all the lockinglevers, the adjacent extremities of the locking-levers being so arranged that the said levers may be separately actuated by the releasing-lever.

5. The combination with a suitable case or frame, of a plurality of pinions journaled in the case one above another and havinga common center, suitable leaf-turning arms connected with the respective pinions, a springactuated rack meshing with each pinion, one extremity of the rack being grooved and provided with a guard-flange in front of the groove, a locking-lever adapted to engage the grooved extremity of each rack, the guardfiange limiting the movement of the lever when the rack is unlocked, and a single releasing-lever adapted to actuate all the locking-levers, the adjacent arms of the several locking-levers being so arranged that the said levers may be separately actuated by the releasing-lever.

6. The combination with a suitable case or frame,of a plurality of pinionsjournaled in the case one above another, suitable leaf-turning arms connected with the respective pinions, a spring-actuated rack meshing with each pinion, one extremity of the rack being grooved and provided with a guard-flange in front of the groove, a locking-lever adapted to engage the grooved extremity of each rack,the guardfiange limiting the movement of the lockinglever when the rack is unlocked, and a single releasing-lever adapted to actuate all the locking-levers, the adjacent arms of the several locking-levers being so arranged that the said levers may be separately actuated, the first locking-lever actuated having a projection long enough to engage the next lever to be actuated,whereby the releasing-lever is brought in direct contact with only one locking-lever.

7. The combination with a suitable case or frame, of a plurality of pinions journaled in the case, one above another, suitable leafturning arms connected with the respective pinions, a spring-actuated rack engaging each pinion, a locking-lever engaging each rack, a single releasing-lever adapted to actuate all the locking-levers, the adjacent extremities of the locking-levers being so arranged that the said levers may be separately actuated by the releasing-lever, the first lever actuated having a projection long enough to engage the next lever to be actuated, whereby the releasing-lever is brought in direct contact with only one locking-lever, and suitable means limiting the movement of any locking-lever when unlocked, to prevent its unlocking the next lever in order.

8. The combination with a suitable case, a pinion journaled therein, aspring-actnated rack engaging said pinion, one extremity of said rack being grooved and provided with a guard-flange located in front of the groove and extending beyond the extremity of the body of the rack, a locking-lever engaging the grooved extremity of each rack, and a releasing-lever engaging the locking-lever.

9. The combination with a suitable case, of a plurality of pinions journaled therein, a spring-actuated rack engaging each pinion, a leaf-turning device connected with each pinion, means for locking the racks in place, and means for releasing the locking devices, of a gear meshing with each pinion, a spring-held dog normally projecting beyond the periphery of each gear, a lever adapted to engage the dogs and actuate the gears when the said lever is moved in one direction, but adapted to force the dogs inwardly and slip past them when moved in the opposite direction, one of the gears being provided with means for forcing the dog of the other gear inwardly to allow the lever to act on the gears separately.

10. The combination of the case and the inclosed mechanism for actuating the leaf-turning devices, the back plate of said case being provided with a socket 5, a T-shaped part 10 adapted to enter said socket, two upright jaws 12 and 12, the .jaw 12 being fast on the part 10, while the jaw 12 is connected therewith by a rivet or pin which passes through a tran s- Verse slot formed in the lower part of the jaw whereby the said jaw is adjustable on the part 10, each jaw consisting of an angle-plate composed of two portions 12 and 12 the part 12 of each jaw tapering from its lower extremity toward the top which is narrowest, the part 12 of each jaw extending forwardly, and

12 of the two jaws, whereby the opening between the parts 12 is controlled.

11. The combination of a case adapted to hold 1eaf-tnrning mechanism and provided with a back plate having extensions at both extremities, bent forwardly at right angles forming oifsets for a book to rest upon, said extensions being bent upwardly forming arms to support the book in front, the back plate of said case being provided with a socket, a T-shaped part 10 adapted to enter said socket, two upright jaws 12 and 12, the jaw 12 being fast on the part 10, while the jaw 12" is connected therewith by a pin which passes through a transverse slot formed in the lower part of the jaw, whereby the said jaw is ad justable on the part 10, each jaw consisting of an angle-plate composed of two parts 12 and 12 occupying positions at right angles to each other, the part 12 of each jaw tapering from its lower extremity toward the top which is narrowest, the part 12 of each jaw extending forwardly, and avertically-sliding clasp connecting the parts 12 of the jaws, whereby the opening between the parts 12 is controlled.

12. The combination with a suitable case, of a pinion journaled in the case, a leaf-turning arm attached to the pinion, an upright rod attached to the arm, a leaf-clasp mounted on the rod, a cogged rack engaging the pinion, a spring engaging one extremity of the rack, a locking-arm adapted to engage the opposite extremity of the rack, and a releasing-lever engaging the locking-lever.

' JAS. E. PELLOWV.

Witnesses:

LoUIs YOUNGMARK, EUGENE O. DAWSON.

50 a vertically -sliding clasp engaging the parts 

